Flashlight holder



Aug. 1, 1944. E. E. DOBBS FLASHLIGHT HOLDER Filed July 8, 1942 Patented Aug. 1, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT 1 QFFI'CEI I 2,354,853 a V l -11 Fnasnuenrinomna d Eflie E. Dobbs, Texas City; Tex. LL, Application Jul 8, 1942, SerialNo. 450,171, j

2 Claims.

This invention relates to flashlight holders and more particularly to a holder especially designed for attachment to a gaugers tape reel for i1- luminating the tape when testing the level of oil pocket of the user andfwhich may be quickly attached to the frame or a tape reel so as to illuminate the tape or;;the interior of a storage tank and thus enable the user to read the graduations on the tape at night and accurately determine the level of theioil or other fluid in said storage tank.

A further object of the invention is to provide a flashlight holder including an attaching member which may be pivotally mounted on the casing of a flashlight or on a spring clip fitted thereto, said member having itsgupper end provided with a terminal hook adapted to detachably engage the reel frame for supporting a flashlight in position thereon.

A further object is to provide a flashlight holder the constructionfof which is such that it may be supported in any desired position of angular adjustment with respect to the reel frame, leaving both hands of the user free to grip the reel handle and rotate the reel.

A still further object of the invention is generally to improve this class of devices so as to increase their utility, durability and efiiciency.

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure l is a side elevation of a flashlight holder embodying the present invention, showing the same in position on the supporting frame of a gaugers tape reel for illuminating graduations on the tape.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the flashlight holder detached.

Figure 3 is a front elevation.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the holder removed from the flashlight casing.

Figure 5 is a side elevation illustrating a modifled form of the invention and showing, in dotted lines, how the holder may be swung laterally on its pivot with respect to the flashlight casing.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the holder shown in Figure 5, detached.

Figure '7 is a similar view illustrating a further modification.

The improved flashlight holder forming the subject matter of the present invention is particularly designed for attachment to a gauger's tape reel and, by way of illustration, is shown in connection with a reel of standard construction; in which 5 designates the supporting frame, 6 the transverse pins connecting the forward endsof the side walls of the frame, I the handle, and 8 the reel mounted for rotation within the frame 5 and on which is wound a flexible graduated steel tape 9 for determining the level of oil or other liquid in a storage tank indicated at Ill.

The holder comprises a member ll concave convex in cross section and preferably formed from a single length of metal having one end thereof cut away in the arc of a circle, as indicated at I2, to form oppositely disposed attaching ears l3 for engagement with a flashlight I 4.- The flashlight l4 may be of any desired construction but is preferably cylindrical in shape and provided with a terminal clip I 5 to permit the flashlight to be readily carried in the pocket of the user. i I

The metal casing N5 of the fiashlightis pro vided with relatively small oppositely disposed openings I! and extending inwardly from the ears 13 are pins l8 which fit within the openings I! so as to permit angular adjustment of the flashlight with respect to the member H. The outer end of the member I l is bent to form a substantially U-shaped attaching hook l9 adapted to fit over the pins 6 of the reel frame so as to detachably support the flashlight in position thereon and direct rays of light onto the metal tape 9, thereby to enable the user to read the graduations on said tape and determine the level of the oil or other liquid in the storage tank. The free end of the hook is preferably deflected laterally, as indicated at 20, to assist in positioning said hook over the pins 6. It will here be noted that the cutaway portion H of the member I l is curved to conform to the cylindrical wall of the flashlight casing 16 and, by engagement with said wall, acts as a stop to limit the downward tilting movement of the flashlight.

When testing the level of oil in a reservoir at night, the flashlight is positioned on the supporting frame of the tape reel by passing the deflected end 20 of the hook over the pins 6 and in which position the member H will be supported in horizontal alinement with the supporting frame of the reel. By now tilting the flashlight downwardly on the pins l8, the rays of light will be directed onto the tape 9 or within the mouth of the reservoir I 0, so that the user can see the level of the liquid within the reservoir and determine by the graduations on the tape the exact amount of oil or other liquid remaining in the reservoir. By swinging the flashlight upwardly on its pivot, said flashlight will be disposed in horizontal alinement with the supporting frame 5 so that said flashlight may be used in the ordinary manner for illuminating purposes. It will here be noted that when the flashlight is swung upwardly to a horizontal position, the end 2I of the flashlight will frictionally engage the adjacent wall of the hook I9 so as to prevent accidental movement of the flashlight. After the flashlight has served its purpose, it is detached from the supporting frame of the tape reel by exerting upward pressure on the hooked end of the member I I, after which-said member I I is swung upwardly until the hook frictionally engages the end 2I of the flashlight and 7 attaching hook 26 and are connected by a transin which position said flashlight may be convenj;.-.

ently carried in the pocket and held from accidental displacement by means of the clip I5. It

will be noted that the length of the hook I9,- is; vention.

equal to or slightly less than the combined width of the casing I6 and clip I5, so as to ofier no obstruction when inserting the flashlight within-the pocket or removing said flashlight therefrom.

' In Figures 5 and 6 of the drawing, there is illustrated a modified form of the invention in which asplit spring sleeve or clip 22 is employed for holding the device in position on the flashlight casing, thus dispensing with the openings in said flashlight casing. In this form of the device, the terminal ears 22' of the attaching member are pivoted directly to the sleeve 22, as indicated at 23, so that after the sleeve is mounted on the flashlight casing, said flashlight may be adjusted to'any angular position desired with respect to the supporting frame of the tape reel with the pins 23 as a pivot. This construction does not necessitate any structural changes in theflashlight and may be quickly attached thereto and retained in position thereon by the inherent resiliency of the split sleeve or clip 22.

In Figure 7 of the drawing, there is illustrated a further modified form of the invention in which the member I I is provided with spaced upstanding ears 24' which overlap similar ears 25 on the verse rod or wire 21.

The device is exceedingly simple in construction and will afford a convenient means for enabling the operator of a filling station or the like to ascertain the level of oil or other fluid in a storage tank, particularly at night when the reading of the graduations on the tape is rendered difficult due to darkness.

While the device is particularly designed for attachment to a gaugers reel tape, it will, of courseQbe understood that the flashlight may, if desired, be used in connection with any other type of support. It will furthermore, be understood that the device may be made in different sizes andshapes and constructed of any suitable material without departing from the spirit of the inl-laving thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. A device of the class described comprising a. flashlight, a holder concave convex in cross section and having its inner end cut away to form a transverse stop shoulder defining spaced longitudinal ears for pivotal connection with the flashlight, the outer end of the holder being provided with a substantially U-shaped hook extendingtransversely thereof for detachable engagement with the frame of a tape reel.

2.-The combination with a tape reel including a supporting framehaving spaced transverse securing pins, of a flashlight and a holder having one end thereof operatively connected with the flashlight to permit downward tilting thereof and its other end'provided with a substantially U- shaped hook extending transversely of said holder and detachably engaging said pins, the end of the flashlight by frictional-engagement with the adjacent wall of the hook serving to hold the flashlight in horizontal alinement with the supporting frame when said flashlight is swung upwardly.

' EFFIE E. DOBBS. 

